Pavement structure and joint therefor



Dec. 8, 1936. DAY 2,063,591

PAVEMENT STRUCTURE AND JOINT THEREFOR Filed Nov. 16, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l 26 ITLUKZTLTT." 25 T LesL D@ Dec. 8, 1936.

l..` DAY 2,063,591

PAVEMENT STRUCTURE AND JOINT THEREFOR Filed Nov. 16, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheei'l 2 Patented Dec. 8, 1936 PATENT CFFIE PAVEMENT rSTRUCTURE AND JOINT THEREFOR Leslie Day, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 16, 1934, Serial No. '753,258

19 Claims.

The invention relates generally to road pavements andmore particularly to a pavement of .the rigid type, such as concrete or the like, provided with movable joints.

In rigid pavements, the expansion and contraction due to changes of temperature in the course of'v a year, and even between night and day, are of substantial extent. To provide for this, pavements, especially concrete, are laid in sections of predetermined lengths with sufficient space between the respective sections to permit ofthe maximum expansion to which the pavement would be subjected.

If. the pavement is concrete, it is generally laid y during a time of year when the temperature is above the freezing point, and usually is laid in the summer' ata temperature of about 70 F. which may be said to be a fair average for the northern part of the country. The maximum temperatur-e to which the pavement will be subjected may run up to 120 F. and the minimum may be, say, 30 below Zero. Concrete pavements are thus laid at a temperature closer to the maximum rather than to the minimum, so thatl the contraction from the temperature at which it is laid creates greater changes of dimension that the expansion above saidtemperature.

Where the dimension of any pair of sections is not great and the expansion thereof is negligible, or where the sections are free to permit the eX- pansion to take place away from each other, as for example the expansion laterally of a road, no provision need be made at the joint for expansion. It is, however, desirable to provide for contraction, should the sections move away from each other.

Many forms of joints have heretofore been made, but many of them, especially after the pavement has contracted and expanded a few times, leave an open space between the sections of the pavement, on contraction, in which sand and other foreign matter enters. Such matter becomes packed in the space and tends to prevent expansion. This difficulty is present, whether the jointY be one allowing for both contraction and expansion, or one allowing merely for contraction.

The general object of the present invention is therefore to provide a pavement in which any space between its sections is completely enclosed and is maintained in such condition to prevent the entrance of foreign matter therein.

It is also an object to provide a pavement having means to enclose any space between adjoining sections comprising relatively movable parts which are permanently secured to adjoining ends of the respective sections so that no foreign matter can become lodged between the ends of the sections and said parts.

Another object is to make said movable parts in such a form that, when the concrete is poured against them, no thin portions nor any sharp corners of concrete are formed which might break or chip in use.

A further object is to provide a joint for concrete pavements which is light and may be easily trans-ported from the place where it is made to the place where it is to be used, and which may be easily installed and serves during installation as a form for the concrete.

Another important object resides in the provision of a joint, the parts of which are temporarily held in such relation to each other as to make the proper allowance of space between the adjoining sections of the pavement, the means for so holding the parts becoming ineffective upon the first movement of expansion or contraction of the pavement.

The invention also has as an object the provision of a joint which produces a minimum of raised material over the surface of the pavement at the joint on expanding and a minimum depression on contracting, but` which maintains a substantially smooth level surface atl all temperatures.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan View, partially broken away, of a pavement structure and joint embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the joint.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on the line and of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a, fragmentary perspective view of a part of the joint.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line i-l of Fig. 2.

Fig. '7 is an elevation of an entire joint.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but of a modied form of joint.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a` fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line lll-l El of Fig. 8.

The preferred embodiment of the invention, and the modification, herein shown are illustrated in connection with a concrete road, although the invention is not limited to a structure made of that material. A structure embodying the invention comprises generally a road' pavement made of a plurality of separate sections provided with joints between the respective sections which allow for changes of dimension of the sections due to changes of temperatures, and which prevent the entrance of any foreign matter. between the sections, impairing the function of the joint.

The joint comprises generally means positioned between the adjoining faces of the sections and having parts rigidly secured to the respective sections so that the parts will move with the sections on expansion or contraction thereof. Surrounding the edges of the joint are means to prevent entrance of material therein, the means at the top being shaped to avoid thin portions or sharp corners ,in the paving material to prevent breakage or chipping thereof, and having sufficient strength to amply support the load of traffic passing thereover. The means to prevent the entrance of foreign matter between the sections are secured to the relatively movable parts of the joint in such a manner as to hold the parts in a rigid fixed relation to each other during installation of the joint. But upon the first movement of expansion or contraction of the sections, the holding means becomes permanently ineffective so that the parts of the joint are free to move with the sections of the pavement.

Dowel bars may be employed in connection with the joint to prevent relative vertical or lateral movement of the respective sections, the bars extending through apertures in the means between the adjoining faces of the pavement sections. The dowel bars are rigidly and accurately held in proper position during installation by spaced hangers suspended from the upper portion of the joint and serving, after the joint is installed, to anchor parts of the joint to the respective sections.

The joint is preferably fabricated at a factory, and is there completely assembled except for the hangers and dowel bars. It ,is made of sheet metal and hence is comparatively light so that it is easily transported to the place where it is to be installed. To provide for a crown in the pavement, the joint is made up of a plurality of relatively short straight-edged sections or members each of which is positioned to lie on a chord of the arc of the crown, the ends of the members being cut on an angle and joined to the next member to approximate the arc.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figs. l to 6, provision is made for both contraction and expansion of the pavement sections, indicated at 20. The pavement ,is of the rigid type such as concrete, or concrete covered with an asphalt surface. For purposes of illustration, it is shown as concrete. Interposed between the sections is the joint which, in both the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6 and the form shown in Figs. 8 to l0, comprises a plurality of similar longitudinal members 2|, as shown in Fig. 7. Each member has a straight upper edge but is relatively short. When the joint is to be used transversely of a pavement having a crown, each member is positioned so that its upper edge lies on a chord of the arc of the crown. The various sections have their ends cut at proper angles to provide, when connected in end-to-end relation, an approximation of the arc. Thus, no distortion of the metal is necessary when the joint is placed in position, for any desired height of crown.

Each longitudinal member 2|, in the form shown |in Figs. 1 to 6, comprises a pair of sheet metal plates 22 positioned in face-to-face spaced relation, the space therebetween being sufficient to provide for the maixmum amount of expansion occurring in the sections 20 of the pavement. The plates 22 are adapted to be rigidly secured to the respective pavement sections in order to move therewith upon expansion or contraction. In the present instance, plates 22 are secured to the pavement sections by means of flanges 23 bent perpendicularly to the plane of the plates at the ends thereof and provided with a plurality of apertures 24 into which the concrete may enter to securely lock the plates to the concrete. The flanges 23 may also serve the purpose of a means for connecting the adjoining members of the joint together, the abutting flanges of the respective members being held together as by rivets 25 or by welding.

Around the outer edges of the plates are means to enclose the space between the plates. Said means is attached to the plates in such a manner as to temporarily hold them in proper relative position, but is adapted to become detached from one or both of the plates upon the first movement of expansion or contraction to permit the plates to move relative to each other. To this end, each plate has along its lower edge an outwardly turned flange 26. Under the flanges 26 of the two plates is a strip 21 of sheet metal preferably of sufilcient width to overlap the flanges 26 for the maximum amount of contraction of the pavement. The preferred mode of temporarily securing the strip 21 to the flanges 26 is by welding them together at spaced points, the welds being light and of small extent so that they may be easily broken. The welds hold the flanges 26 in proper position during the installation of the joint, in order to provide the proper space between the plates. But after installation when the plates are rigidly locked to the respective pavement sections, any movement of the plates relative to each other, due to expansion or contraction of the pavement sections, causes the welds of at least one flange to break, whereby the plates are free to move relative to each other. The strip 21, however, remains in overlapping relation to both flanges 2B to prevent the entrance of any foreign matter into the space between the plates.

At the top edges of the plates, the closure of the space between the plates not only seals said space, but also is constructed to fully support the weight of trafc passing thereover. The closure also finishes off the space between the pavement sections in a manner which reduces to a minimum the extrusion of any material therefrom or the formation of any depression at that point. As shown herein, the plates 22 are bent to provide outwardly extending flanges 30 which are positioned below the top surface of the pave ment sections in recesses 3| formed in the sections. The bend of the flange, indicated at 32 in Figs. 3 and 6, is a relatively large curve, shaped in this manner so that the concrete may be easily forced into the bend to completely fill the space thereunder. The concrete thus has no` sharp corner which might easily crumble, and the metal is fully supported by the concrete. The outer edges of the flanges 30 are reversely bent, as at 33, to provide inwardly opening grooves. Where the ends of the flanges 30 of two members 2| meet, a U-shaped clip 38 may be used to hold the flanges alined.

Carried by the flanges 30 is a sealing means having its side edges positioned within the grooves and underlying the reversely bent portions 33. The sealing means is so constructed as to be movable relative to at least one of the flanges, and to maintain its sealing function irrespective of such movement. The sealing means preferably comprises a strip 34 of sheet metal which is transversely corrugated; to2 give. it

sufficient strength to carry the load of trailic. The. strip.I 34v is lightly welded to the flanges 30 to maintain. the. top of the plates` in proper? relative position during installation, but the welds between the strip 34 and one of the anges are adapted to break upon first movement of expension` or contraction of the pavement. The strip thus becomes free to slide relative to at least one of the flanges 3D. To malte a tight seal, the corrugations. of the strip 34 serve as a container for a plastic or semi-liquid cementitious` material 35J such as asphalt. cement and a iiller.. The ends of the corrugations are closed as by folding tabs; 3B of the metal comprising the strip toward each other as shown in Figs. i and 5. The. plastic material is filled in up to the level of they reversely bent. portions 33 of the flanges 33. To fill up the recesses 3l and' cover over the metallic; portions. of the joint, a resilient strip 31 such. as bituminous material, preferably premolded, is positioned in and provides a form for the recesses 3l, the plastic material 35 serving to hold the strip 31 in place. The strip 31 has a relatively` small thickness so that on expansion of the. pavement, a minimum of material is raised above. theI level of the pavement and on contraction of the pavement, practically no depression will be formed. Moreover, if on contraction the pavement pulls away from one edge of the strip 3.1,. any sand or other foreign matter which may lodge in between the strip and the pavement will be easily forced out because of the shallowness of the space. The adjacent corners of the concrete may be rounded as at 39'1l to facilitate the action.

At the outer ends ofthe joint, the closure may comprise a pair of clips 4D having end portions closing: the ends of the grooves formed by thel reversely bent portions 33 ofthe anges 3D, while the clips t snugly around said portions 33- and the anges 30 to hold the clips in place. To close the end ofthe space between the plates 22, a strip 4I` extends over the end of the space in overlapping relationwith anges 42 on the plates. Ati the bottom, the strip 4I is bent under the bottom strip 21 as at 43, and at the top it is bent toy overlap the clips 40, as at 44. 'Ihe strip 4l may be lightly welded at one or more points on the bottom, end, or top to hold itv in place.

If dowel bars, indicated at 49, are to be used, alined` apertures Snare provided'in the plates 22, preferably centrally thereof. The metal around the apertures 5B is preferably stiffened as by formingl part of the metal. punched from the apertures 50 into spacing tongues 5l extending between the plates 22. If the apertures 50 are much larger than the dowel bar, a sleeve 52 is preferably positioned Within the apertures to prevent concrete o-r other matter from entering the space between the plates at that point. The sleeve 52l may be heldin place by integrally formed tabs 53 bent against the outer faces of thev plates. The dowel bar may have a slidable hollowl cap 54` on one end to allow for movement of the bar into one pavement section on expansionv thereof.v

One important feature of the present invention is` the provision of a novel means for supporting the :dowel bars during installation in an accurate manner. The preferred form of this means comprises a pair of hangers 55 for each dowel bar. Each hanger comprises a wire bent generally in a V-shape with the lowerpart of the V rounded to fit around the. bar at a point spacedl from the plates 22, The endsf of the wire are bent into' hooks 56 which are inserted in apertures providedVv in the reverse bend of the flange 30. The hangers thus rigidly hold the dowel bars in place during installation and when the concrete is poured around them, they are thoroughly embedded and anchor the flanges 3l] rigidly to the pavement sections.

There are some instances where allowance for expansiony in the joint is unnecessary, as for example. wherev the pavement sections are relatively short or where, in a joint extendingv longitudinally of the pavement, the pavement is free to expand sidevvardly. In such a joint, it is advisable, however, to provide for contraction, a joint of this type being shown in Figs. 8, 9y and 10. In this type of joint, the means extending between the adjoining end faces of the pavement sections comprises a single plate 60. The plates 6i) of the various members 2| may be secured together by riveted plates 59. At the lower edge of the plate, a pair of light angles 6l may be secured thereto.` At the end of the joint, the closure is similar to that shown in the first form.

At the top, the plate 6B has rigidly.A secured thereto av pair of angles 62 the upper anges 63 of which are shaped the same as the anges 30 in the first form, and the sealing means is the same as in the first form. On contraction of the pavement, the plate til-breaks away fromone'or the other pavement sections. The flanges 63, however, are rigidly anchored to the respective sections by the dowel bar hangers 55 so that they are constrained to move with the sections, the metal at the corners of the angles bending sufficiently to permit such movement. Thus, any space between the pavement sections occurringon contraction thereof is effectively sealed against the entrance of foreign matter therein.

If desired, the plate @il may be omitted, the angles Si and B2 merely marking the concrete so that it will break, on contraction, in the plane defined by the angles 6l and 62. The break, however, will be adequately sealed against entrance of any foreign matter.

In use, the joints, which are preferably made at a factory, are put in place on the base provided for the pavement to be laid. The formation of the joint, with the short members which make up the joint lying on chords of the arc of the crown of the pavement, makes it unnecessary to bend or distort the joint when put in place. The dowel bars are then suspended in place by means of the hangers 55 and the concrete poured. The joint thus serves as an end form for the concrete. On pouring, the concrete enters in apertures 2li in the flanges 23 on the plates 22l to rigidly lock the plates in place and completely embeds the hangers, thereby anchoring the flanges 3i) to the pavement sections. When the concrete is poured, a tamp bar or shovel may be used to force the concrete into the curve 32 of the arige- 30.

The premolded strip 31 of bituminous material, or a temporary form, together with the flanges 3U, provide a form for the recesses 3l. If the temporary form is used, the strip 31 or a substitute therefor may later be put in place.

After the concrete has set and the rst movement of expansion or contraction takes place, the plates 22 and flanges 3G being rigidly secured to the respective pavement sections, move therewith and break the light welds holding the bottom strip 21 to the flanges 26 and the corrugated strip 34 to the anges 30. The space between the plates 22, however, remains securely closed so that no foreign matter can enter therein.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, when the rst contraction takes place, the plate 6i) will break away from one of the sections, but the flanges S3 are anchored by the hangers 55 to move with the respective sections, the corners of the angles 62 bending suiciently to permit such movement.

If the plate 60 is omitted, the concrete will break, on contraction, along the line marked by the angles 6| and 62, and the flanges 63 may then move with the respective pavement sections.

From the above description, it will become apparent that I have provided a pavement structure in which any space at the joint between adjoining sections of the pavement is completely closed and maintained in such condition to prevent entrance of foreign matter in the space. The joint includes parts rigidly secured to and movable with the respective sections on contraction or expansion thereof, and serves during installation as a form for paving material. The movable parts are temporarily held together during installation but are free-d to' move relative to each other upon the first expansion or contraction. The joint is so formed as to avoid the formation of any thin portions or sharp corners in the concrete, and maintains a surface at the joint substantially level with the top of the pavement in all temperatures.

I claim as my invention:

1. A road pavement comprising, in combination, a plurality of separate sections of rigid paving material, and a joint positioned between adjoining sections comprising spaced relatively movable parts rigidly secured to the end faces of the respective sections, and means for securing said parts together in a predetermined relation, said means being of a temporary nature to hold the parts together during installation and being rendered ineffective by the first relative movement of contraction or expansion of the paving sections.

2. A joint for separate sections of a road pavement comprising two parts adapted to be rigidly secured to the respective pavement sections and connected together in a temporary manner and adapted to be disconnected to permit relative movement thereof by the first relative movement of the pavement sections.

3. A joint for separate sections of a road pavement of rigid material comprising, in cornbination, spaced relatively movable parts adapted to be rigidly secured to and covering over the adjoining end faces of respective sections, and means permanently closing the four sides of the space between said parts to prevent entrance of foreign material therein, said means being rigidly but temporarily secured to said parts to hold them in a predetermined relation during installation and being arrange-d to be detached from one of said parts by the rst relative movement of contraction or expansion of the paving sections.

4. A joint for separate sections of a road pavement of rigid material comprising in combination, spaced relatively movable parts adapted to be rigidly secured to the end faces of the respective sections, and means welded to said parts for temporarily holding said parts together in a predetermined relation to each other during installation, the welded areas being relatively small and adapted to break on the first relative movement of contraction or expansion of the paving section.

5. A joint for separate sections of a road pavement of rigid material comprising, in combination, spaced relatively movable parts adapted to be rigidly secured to the end faces of the respective sections, each part having flange means on the four edges thereof extending away from the opposite part, and means lightly welded to the flange means on the four edges of the respective parts to temporarily hold said parts in a predetermined relation to each other during installation, the welds being adapted toI break on the first relative movement of contraction o1' expansion of the paving sections to permit the respective parts to move therewith.

6. A joint for separate sections of a road pavement comprising, in combination, two plates adapted to be rigidly secured to the adjoining end faces of the pavement sections, and closures for the top, bottom and end edges of said plates, each closure being adapted to slide relative to either of said plates on relative movement of the pavement sections.

7. A road pavement comprising, in combination, a plurality of separate sections, means extending between the ends of the respective sections and having outwardly turned flanges along the upper edge spaced a short distance below the top surface of the pavement, sealing means carried by and overlying said flanges and movable relative to one of the flanges, and a strip of resilient material overlying said sealing means and the flanges to flll the space thereover between the paving sections.

8. A road pavement comprising, in combination, a plurality of separate sections, and a joint between each pair of sections comprising means extending between the sections provided with outwardly extending flanges along the upper edge thereof, the sections having recesses opening from the top to receive said flanges, a sealing member seated on said flanges, the outer edges of the flanges being reversely bent to overlie the side edges of said sealing member, and a strip of resilient material for filling said recess up to the level of said sections and resting on the reversely bent portions of said flanges.

9. A road pavement comprising, in combination, a plurality of separate sections, and a joint between each pair of sections comprising sheet metal means extending between the sections provided with outwardly turned flanges along the upper edge thereof, the sections having recesses opening from the top to receive said flanges, a transversely corrugated strip seated on said flanges with the outer edges of the flanges reversely bent to overlie the edges of said corrugated strip, plastic cementitious material filling the corrugations of said strip, and a strip of bituminous material overlying said flanges and said corrugated strip for filling said recess up to the level of said sections, said bituminous strip being held in place by said cementitious material.

10. A joint for separate sections of a road pavement comprising, in combination, means adapted to extend between the adjoining end faces of the respective sections, outwardly turned flanges on the upper edge of said means, the sections being recessed to receive said flanges, anchor members adapted to be embedded in the respective sections and engageable with said flanges for holding the flanges rigid with the sections, and sealing means overlying the flanges to prevent entrance of foreign matter between the sections, said sealing Cil means being slidable relative to' one of said flanges upon relative movement between the flanges.

11. A joint for separate sections of a road pavement comprising, in combination, means adapted to extend between the adjoining end faces of the respective sections, outwardly turned flanges along the upper edge of said means having their edges reversely bent to provide grooves, anchor members adapted to be embedded in the respective sections and secured to the bends in the flanges for holding the flanges rigid with the respective sections, and sealing means supported on said flanges and having its edges positioned within the grooves to permit relative movement between the sealing means and either of the flanges without separation thereof.

12. A joint for separate sections of a road pavement comprising, in combination, means adapted to extend between the adjoining end faces of the respective sections, outwardly turned flanges along the upper edge of said means, sealing means cooperating with said flanges to prevent entrance of foreign material between the sections, a dowel bar extending horizontally through said means and adapted to be embedded in the respective sections, and a pair of hangers suspended from the respective flanges and supporting the dowel bar at points spaced from said means, said hangers being adapted to be embedded in the respective sections to anchor the flanges rigidly thereto.

13. A joint for separate sections of a road pavement comprising, in combination, a pair of spaced plates adapted to be rigidly secured to the adjoining end faces of the respective sections and having outwardly turned flanges along their upper edges, and sealing means carried by said flanges for preventing entrance of foreign material into the space between said plates, said sealing means including a sheet metal strip bridging the space between the plates and transversely corrugated to provide sufcient strength for supporting the load of traffic.

14. A joint for separate sections of a road pavement comprising, in combination, two spaced parts adapted to be rigidly secured to the respective pavement sections, and a receptacle for plastic sealing material overlying the top edges of said parts and bridging the space between the parts and being slidable relative to either of said parts.

15.` A joint for separate sections of a road pavement comprising, in combination, a plate adapted to extend between the adjoining end faces of the sections, a pair of angle'rnembers each comprising a pair of flanges with one of the flanges located flat against said plate along the upper edge thereof and rigidly attached thereto at points spaced from the bend in the angle to provide a pair of flanges extending horizontally from said plate, sealing means carried by said horizontally extending flanges, and a pair of anchoring members for rigidly securing said horizontally extending flanges to the respective sections, said angles being constructed to flex at their bends to permit relative movement of the horizontally extending flanges on contraction of the paving sections.

16. A joint for separate sections of a road pavement comprising, in combination, means adapted to extend between the adjoining end faces of the respective sections, a dowel bar extending horizontally through said means and adapted to extend into both sections to prevent relative vertical movement thereof, and means for holding said dowel bar accurately located during installation comprising a pair of hangers suspended from the upper part of said rstmentioned means and supporting said bar at points spaced from the respective sides of said rst-mentioned means.

17. A joint for separate sections of a road pavement comprising, in combination, means adapted to extend between the adjoining end faces of the respective sections, a dowel bar extending horizontally through said means and adapted to extend into both sections to prevent relative vertical movement thereof, and a pair of hangers for accurately locating the bar during installation supporting said bar at points spaced from the respective sides of said means, each hanger comprising a wire bent into a V- shape with its ends hooked onto the upper part of said means and with the bar positioned in the lower part of the V.

18. A joint for separate sections of a road pavement comprising, in combination, a pair of spaced plates adapted to extend between the adjoining end faces of the sections, a dowel bar extending horizontally through said plates and adapted to extend into both sections, said plates having alined apertures to receive said bar, and means to prevent foreign material from entering the space between the plates through said apertures comprising a sleeve fitting snugly in said apertures and having retaining means bent against the outer faces of said plates to hold the sleeve in place.

LESLIE DAY. 

